Pushrod wear at guides
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 792
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From: Palatine
Pushrod wear at guides
Trick flow heads, with Erson Pushrods. Some of the guides needed the openings widened just so the pushrods could fit, others fit fairly easy. Do I just need to widen them out some more? I hear some pretty bad ticking, most likely the pushrod hitting the guide? Can I continue to use the pushrods that have damage?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 792
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From: Palatine
Scott - Yea ... the box says to use the guide plates, and that they are hardened pushrods (Erson). Then again the box and pushrods are probably 20 years old. They where bought from an extended friend who had old unused parts around. How much play should there be between push rod and guide plate?
A88 - I definitely will be changing some oil.
A88 - I definitely will be changing some oil.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 625
Likes: 49
From: Southern California
Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 624
Likes: 0
From: Marietta ga
If they were hitting, then the guide was not properly installed on the rocker stud. The guides usually can be slightly moved from side to side before the stud is completely tight, this is so they can be aligned. Most likely, they were not aligned on your heads properly.
No, you should not continue to use those push rods. They are now weak and will continue to degrade and put metal in your motor. They might even break in half.
You might be able to reuse those guide plates if they are deburred and polished otherwise they will eat the next set of push rods,.... The problem is, now that your have "opened" them up, the clearances will be forever off. The point of the guide is to keep the push rod aligned, via tight clearances. I would junk those guides ASAP. Guides are cheap, so save your motor and buy new ones.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 792
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From: Palatine
Resurrecting my old thread!! I am thinking of going with self aligning rockers , and ditching the pushrod guides. The current ones are pretty trashed and trick flow doesn't make replacements for the first gen heads. Anyone run with self aligning rockers on trick flow heads. Any thoughts appreciated..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,229
Likes: 656
From: Thunder Bay
Your picture takes me back. I had exactly the same thing happen to one of my engines many years ago. The problem is the pushrods are not hardened for use with guideplates. Be happy you caught it before a pushrod broke. You will need to replace your guideplates because you modified them,and get a set of hardened pushrods.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 792
Likes: 0
From: Palatine
Thanks for the reply. Trickflow doesn't make replacements for the first gen heads I have. So I was thinking of getting some non-hardened pushrods and self-aligning rockers. Wondering if that's feasible with these heads.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,691
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From: columbus oh
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,229
Likes: 656
From: Thunder Bay
I wonder if it would be possible to weld the guideplates up and have them re-machined to the original size. What about getting pushrods in a larger diameter and having the guideplates machined to the new pushrod size? I have a set of the old original Trick Flow heads on my 79and I'm disappointed but not surprised to find they are no longer servicing those heads. Not the best company to deal with.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 487
From: Salmon Arm, BC
I run guided comp roller rocker on my vortec heads. While I was buying the rockers, I compared them to a set of unguided ones, and the only difference I could see was the small casting that surrounds the valve to "guide" the rocker......That little bit costs $150 bucks more here in Canada.
I'd suggest comparing a set yourself at the local speed parts house and see if you can spot any difference.
I'd suggest comparing a set yourself at the local speed parts house and see if you can spot any difference.
